The present invention is directed toward beverage dispensers, for example, dispensers of the type used for blending concentrated fruit juices or the like with water in response to user demand. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved receptacle element for use in such beverage dispensers for assuring engagement and disengagement with an outlet on a beverage storage tank respectively during installation of the tank in the dispenser and upon removal of the tank from the housing, for example, when an empty tank is replaced with a tank filled with beverage or beverage concentrate.
A beverage dispenser of the general type contemplated by the present invention is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,861, issued Aug. 12, 1975. Specific components or features for such a beverage dispenser are also disclosed, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,441, issued Dec. 7, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,134, issued Feb. 11, 1975; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,388, issued May 20, 1975. Beverage dispensers of the type disclosed by these patents are adapted for blending concentrated fruit juice with water in response to external actuation in order to produce a liquid beverage upon demand, usually in small quantities suitable for individual servings. Commonly, such dispensers provide two or more flavors of beverages such as fruit juice and, accordingly, have two separate tanks containing concentrated fruit juice and separate internal systems for supplying the concentrated fruit juice or syrup and water through suitable blenders or separate valve spouts having actuating means for regulating dispensation of the blended beverage at the command of a user. With the dispenser being particularly adapted for blending and dispensing fruit juice beverages, it is necessary to maintain the concentrated fruit juice at relatively low temperatures within the dispenser in order to prevent spoilage. In addition, it is commonly necessary to clean internal passages of the dispensers periodically, for example, on a daily basis.
In order to meet high volume demand for beverages as is common at lunch counters and the like, it is particularly important that the dispensers be designed to facilitate replacement of their beverage-containing tanks in order to assure a continuing supply of the fruit juice or other beverage. At the same time, it is also important to provide means for rapidly connecting and disconnecting the tanks from communication with internal portions of the dispenser in order to further facilitate replacement of the tanks and, at the same time, to eliminate or minimize spillage of the fruit juice or other beverage in order to maintain cleanliness of the dispensers.
In the past, the dispensers have commonly included flexible conduits which are adapted for rapid disconnection and reconnection to an outlet provided on the bottom of each storage tank. However, replacement of the storage tanks is often necessary at frequent intervals, particularly when there is high volume demand for beverages from the dispensers, as noted above. At such time, the storage tanks are often hastily removed from the dispenser resulting in separation of the conduit from internal dispenser components or breakage of the conduit itself, causing spillage of substantial amounts of the beverage within the dispenser housing. Such spillage is especially severe when concentrated fruit juices are contained within the tanks since they are particularly difficult to clean from the internal surfaces of the dispenser. At the same time, the concentrated fruit juice or syrup spilled within the dispenser may come in contact with operating components of the dispenser, including electrical or mechanical pump parts, and thus unduly increase the frequency for overhauling or replacing components within the dispenser.
Accordingly, there has been found to remain a need for improved tank mounting and connection means for beverage dispensers in order to facilitate rapid disconnection and reconnection of storage tanks in the dispensers while minimizing or eliminating spillage of beverage or beverage concentrates from the tanks.